Last week, the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee in the House of Representatives passed their version of the transportation bill, and referred it to the House floor. Committee leadership has indicated that they expect to pass the bill through the House, reconcile it with the Senate bill, and pass it by November 20. So far, this looks like good news for bicycle and pedestrian advocates...

When communities want to make their streets more bicycle friendly, they often face many of layers of opposition and challenge. Even when the popular and political will exist, existing regulations can stymie the process. This is especially true for roads within the National Highway System, but there's new hope that these regulations will become easier to navigate.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new series of forums in cities across the United States to discuss transportation challenges and solutions. These "Beyond Traffic" forums are an "invitation to the American public" to participate in the future of transportation in the country. Read USDOT's full announcement on the forum series below.

On September 17, the U.S. House Transportation Committee will be voting on the transportation bill. One of the issues they'll be debating is whether or not to continue the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), which is the main source of funding for bicycling and walking across the country.

The Senate passed the DRIVE Act, a comprehensive transportation bill with at least three years of funding, after a week of deliberation. The bill was more divisive than we've seen in transportation in the past, mostly over funding but its also the first long term bill in a decade. Taking a broad view, it missing any real innovation or vision to really grapple with transportation needs of this...